1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to mail-processing and, more particularly, to controlling a mail-processing environment to protect against contaminants.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Recent incidents involving anthrax contamination in the United States postal service have increased anxiety about handling mail. In the case of organizations that receive large volumes of mail on a daily basis, more expressed concerns arise for their employees. Specifically, the nature of mail-processing jobs places mailroom personnel at a greater risk of infection and exposure to contaminants hidden in mail. Many organizations have implemented measures, such as requiring the use of latex gloves by mailroom personnel, to help mitigate this threat, but these measures only protect against physical contact with the contaminants. They do not protect against other modes of transmission, such as inhalation or ingestion.
Besides the health risks posed to personnel, the shutting down of an organization""s facility due to a possible biological attack creates a significant economic burden on the organization. Further, a proliferation of hoax attacks makes it imperative for an organization to implement effective and efficient mechanisms that will prevent needless work stoppages, while protecting itself from the possible spread of contamination. Accordingly, there exists a need for an improved way to protect mail-processing environments from contamination due, for example, to airborne hazardous substances.
Methods, systems, and articles of manufacture of the present invention may control a mail-processing environment to protect against contaminants.
One exemplary aspect of the invention may relate to a system for controlling a mail-processing environment to protect against contaminants. The system may comprise a first air vent for supplying air to the mail-processing environment, a second air vent for exhausting air from the mail-processing environment, an air exchanger coupled to the first air vent and the second air vent for exchanging air in the environment, a first damper for substantially blocking air supplied to the environment through the first air vent, a second damper for substantially blocking air exhausted from the environment through the second air vent, and a control circuit for controlling the first damper and the second damper in response to a possible presence of contaminants in the mail-processing environment.
A second aspect of the invention may relate to a method for controlling a mail-processing environment to protect against contaminants, wherein the mail-processing environment includes a mail-processing workstation. The method may comprise detecting whether contaminants are present in the mail-processing environment, controlling a first damper coupled to a first air vent to substantially block air flow from the environment through the first air vent, and controlling a second damper coupled to a second air vent to substantially block air flow to the environment through the second air vent. The first and second dampers may be controlled in response to a detection of a possible contaminant in the mail-processing environment.
Additional embodiments and aspects of the invention are set forth in the detailed description which follows, and in part are obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of methods, systems, and articles of manufacture consistent with the present invention. It is understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.